Bella Vista Health Center Blog

Father’s Day gifts were easy when we were kids—a hand-drawn card, a clay ashtray, or a silly tie did the trick, earning a smile and a pat on the head every year. Shopping for Father’s Day gifts as an adult is a little more complicated, especially if your father is currently residing in a skilled nursing facility with limited space to store personal belongings. If you’re struggling to find a gift this Father’s Day that will be appreciated while fitting in with Dad’s new living situation, here are some suggestions that frequently top the wish lists of nursing home residents:

1. Games and puzzles

Keeping the mind sharp is a high priority for senior citizens, so one of the best gifts you can give is a variety of games and puzzles to keep your father mentally spry and entertained at the same time. Ideas include large-print crossword puzzles, Sudoku, jigsaw puzzles, dominoes, cribbage, Boggle, Scrabble, and playing cards for Gin, Go Fish, Solitaire, and other fun games.

2. Bird feeder

Even if your father has a lovely view outside his room window, looking at the same tree or hedge can get boring at times. Bird feeders will liven up the view with a parade of beautiful flying creatures dining on seeds, nuts, or sugar water, depending on which species you’re trying to attract. As a bonus, you can give Dad a birding book specific to the local area so he can identify and learn about his new feathered friends.

3. Magazine subscriptions

Despite the slow decline of print content, there still seems to be a magazine for virtually every interest. Whether your father loves news, sports, cars, science, art, or any one of the thousands of other hobbies and topics covered by niche magazines, a subscription is the gift that keeps on giving—he’ll eagerly anticipate each new volume throughout the year.

4. Nostalgic playlists

A great nostalgic gift idea for your father is to make a few CDs with playlists full of music from his favorite era, and include a portable CD player if he doesn’t already have one. Listening to Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, or even the Beatles and Elvis if he’s a “younger” senior citizen will transport him back to his heyday, likely sparking memories he thought he forgot for good.

5. Photo book

Your father might not have much room for framed photos in his nursing facility room, so a great way to ensure he has plenty of family photos to peruse and share with fellow residents is to create a photo book from one of several online services. Aside from snaps of the grandkids, another photo book option is to use photos from Dad’s youth and old family photos from when you were a kid, which will preserve the originals while creating a gift your father will treasure forever.

6. Tablet with Internet connection

If the nursing facility in San Diego where your father lives has wi-fi access, you can get him a tablet device like an iPad if your budget permits. The touch screen and user-friendly apps can allow him to send email, join social media groups, video chat with the grandkids, and even read books (another great space-saving option). Of course, unless your father is already Internet savvy, it’s important to give him a brief tutorial on scams and how to avoid them, as senior citizens are frequent targets.

The best gift is the gift of your time

At Bella Vista Health Center, the gift idea that tops nearly all our resident wish lists is the gift of time with their loved ones. Frequent visits, an occasional lunch out, or even a daily phone call means more than any present they can hold in their hands.

Of course, busy lifestyles prevent many loved ones from visiting as much as they’d like, which is why we strive to give our residents the best skilled nursing facility experience. We provide a variety of enriching activities and exclusive amenities to create a “home away from home” environment at our 5-Star skilled nursing facility. If you have questions about our services or you’re interested in a tour, call us at (619) 399-7920 or fill out our contact form today.